Emmet County's long-time clerk to step aside

Newfoundland import Irene Granger, who grew to become one of Emmet County's most influential people during her 26-plus years as county clerk, today confirmed she will not seek re-election this year.

In an early morning interview today, Granger refused to characterize her departure from public service as retirement.

"I'm not retiring. I'm just not running for re-election," she said with a twinkle, as if there was a vast difference between the two.

"I will be doing something; I don't know what it is yet. But I'm just not going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs. That's not in my nature."

Asked what prompted her decision not to seek re-election, Granger, now 69, said: "Age."

"After almost 27 years I figure it was time to let somebody else do it."

The record for longest serving Emmet County clerk is held by Winfield Hines, who served 30 years from 1931 to 1962.

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Granger came to Petoskey in 1957 with her husband, Gerald, after he retired from the military. He died in 1995.

County controller Lyn Johnson, an ardent Granger supporter, said Granger arrives at her office at 6:30 a.m. and works until 5:30 p.m. every day.

"You won't find that in many elected public officials," Johnson said.

He said it was more than Granger's solid work ethic that has earned her the admiration of Emmet County over the years.

"The county as a whole will miss her," Johnson said. "She is probably one of the most influential people in the county because of the respect people have for her integrity, her work and her opinions."

Jim Tamlyn, chair of the county board of commissioners, said Granger's intimate knowledge of county politics was a key to her success.

"She knows all the politics. To make things work, you have to know the politics on both sides of the fence. She does things smoothly, without controversy, and runs a good office, her department."

"I hate to see her retire. We will miss her," Tamlyn said.

Granger said the most significant change she has witnessed in her years as clerk has been the computerization of the clerk's office.

"When I came here the biggest problem I had was finding an outlet to plug a 10-key adder into," she said. "There were few typewriters, and if you had an IBM Selectric you were privileged.

"And then we went to data processing and had a single CRT (computer) which we all had to share.

"Now, of course, everyone has a computer and we couldn't work without them."

Granger said she loves everything about Emmet County.

"It's friendly, and you know your neighbors. A lot of us still don't lock our doors at night," she said.

She said the county has been blessed by leaders with vision such as county controller Johnson, county planner Max Putters, and former board chair Al Foster, who continues his public service as a commissioner on the county's building authority.

"They have helped define the county," she said.

"Al served 11 years as commissioner, and even though he was a Democrat, he was elected every year as chair. That was at a time when everyone ran as a Republican, even if you weren't," she said.

She said she and Johnson, who has been in office since 1983, have never had a conflict in all their years together, highly unusual for people in their positions.

Granger said that after she leaves office, she will travel to Newfoundland (pronounced "NewFOUNDland"), Canada, where she still has family, but would definitely not sign up for a luxury cruise.

"I don't like the water, even though I grew up on an island," she said.

Granger singled out her predecessor, the late Harriet Kilborn, who served 13 years as clerk, as the person she admires most.

She said Kilborn was born and raised in Emmet County, wrote histories of the local families and was instrumental in starting the Little Traverse Historical Society.

Granger said she will endorse first deputy, Gail Martin, in the primary contest for clerk in August. Vivian LeGrand has also announced she will run for the position.

"I'm leaving the county in good hands with Gail," Granger said. "She is eminently qualified for the position, and we have worked together for years."